The TACS Location Database Project

The Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society is a

registered charity founded in 1981. It is the national society responsible for the study and

protection of tiles and architectural ceramics. The Location Database Project

entailed collecting details on a wide variety of in situ

ceramic locations, including the Mountain Daisy Pub in

Sunderland, a superb example of tiles and faience produced by the firm Craven

Dunnill of Jackfield, in the Ironbridge Gorge, in 1902.

The TACS Location Database Project

Locations varied from medieval tile pavements to contemporary

installations such as the Armada underpass in Plymouth (1990), above, and the ceramic works

created by Adam Kossowski at the Friars, Aylesford, Kent between

1950 and 1971, one part of which is shown below.

The TACS Location Database Project

Of course, many locations dated from the Victorian period, and

churches were especially prominent. There were many fine

encaustic tile pavements as well as glazed tile wall decorations and

opus sectile work, the latter generally produced by Powell’s of

Whitefriars. These examples (clockwise starting top left) are from

churches in Eastbourne, London, Bicton (Devon) and Church Leigh

(Staffordshire).

The TACS Location Database Project

The geographical range of the project encompassed England –

including Lundy Island and the Isle of Man, shown here – Scotland and Wales. Unusual locations included

tiles by Carter’s of Poole under water in the Tyne Pedestrian and Cycle Tunnels, completed in 1951

and crossing beneath the River Tyne east of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The TACS Location Database Project

Locations with notable architectural ceramics include the rich terracotta (manufactured by J. C. Edwards of Ruabon) of the late Victorian Cardiff

Pierhead building, built as offices for the Bute Dock Company and

now the information centre for the Welsh Assembly. This building is clearly much loved, its ceramics well cared for, in contrast to the 1903 pictorial panel of Cardiff

Castle at the nearby Golden Cross pub, bottom right, obscured by

posters!

The TACS Location Database Project

The importance of the TACS Location Database in relation to long-term conservation issues is illustrated by the fact that even

during the course of the project the two buildings shown here were demolished: the Elephant and Castle, Wolverhampton, with

faience (including the elephant) by Burmantofts, the Leeds Fireclay Company, and the Poole Pottery

itself (below).

The TACS Location Database Project

The illustrated, updated version of the TACS Location Database may be viewed on the TACS website at

www.tilesoc.org.uk

The database now contains over 5,000 entries, and the TACS Gazetteer, detailing the most

important and interesting in situ ceramic sites throughout the country, is due to be published in spring 2005.

Project contact:

lynnpearson@gosforth3.demon.co.uk